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Clinton on importance of Iran talks

In an interview to be broadcast Sunday on "Meet the Press," NBC's David Gregory sits down with former President Bill Clinton, who says, "it's a good idea, if possible, to look somebody in the eye and have a chance to have a conversation before there's a total breach."

DAVID GREGORY: is this a moment where the president says, to Iran, "We got you. And now it's time to act, or you're gonna face serious consequences"?

BILL CLINTON: Well, I think that's what they want to communicate with them. And I think the reason they want to have talks is, if they have talks, and they don't just hurl assaults in the press about it, they can more explicitly lay out things they may not be prepared to say in public yet about what the options are if Iran continues down this path. And they can also talk about where we might go together if they reverse course.

So I always think it's a good idea, if possible, to look somebody in the eye and have a chance to have a conversation before there's a total breach. But I think this is actually healthy that this has broken. The Iranians must have known that the Americans knew, somehow they must have found out that. Or they wouldn't have voluntarily notified the IAEA about this.